Construction using bundled tube and threaded stepped dowels

ABSTRACT

A system and method for creating a column for construction using bundled tube are provided. The column having a bottom portion, a middle portion, and a top portion. Each portion consists of a bundle of individual pillars, comprising a center pillar, a plurality of corner pillars, and a plurality of middle pillars. From the bottom portion of the column, addition pillars can be affixed on top of the pillars of the bottom portion, thus forming the middle and the top portion of the column. Each pillar can be secured to another component using a thread stepped dowel comprising of a base section, at least one middle section, and a tip section, with each section being progressively smaller in circumference than the last. The at least one middle section of the threaded stepped dowel further comprises thread spiraling around the outer surface of the at least one middle section.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/966,405 filed Jan. 27, 2020,entitled, “Improved Apparatus And Method For Assembly Of ConstructionComponents” and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/057,399 filedon Jul. 28, 2020, entitled “Construction Using Bundled Tube And ThreadedStepped Dowels”, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference asif fully set forth herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure generally relates to using bundled tube to form columnsand beams for construction. The disclosure also relates to threadedstepped dowels for enhanced connection of adjoining constructioncomponents and to a method of assembling the bundled tube using thethreaded stepped dowel to form a desired configuration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wood has been used as a construction material for more than a thousandyears. For example, Horyu-ji Temple in Japan is believed to be theoldest wooden building in the world, which was built more than 1,300years ago.

However, for most of the twentieth century, constructions of buildingshave mainly relied on utilizing reinforced concrete, such aspost-tensioned concrete. In contrast, buildings built out of timber orengineered wood were relatively few and far in between. This began tochange since the development of cross-laminated timber (CLT) in early1990s.

CLT is a multilayer solid wood panel often referred to as thick wood orcross-laminated wood. Such CLT panels form solid wood panels that can beused in construction. CLT usually consists of several flat overlyingflat board layers, unlike glued laminated timber (glulam) in which thelayers are arranged longitudinally to the fiber.

CLT panel construction is the next level in quality and speed ofconstruction. Wall, floor, and roof elements manufactured in aclimate-controlled facility and transported to building sites for rapidassembly dramatically increases quality control in the building process.

Today, CLT is widely used in residential and light engineeringstructures in situations where large beam depths are required, such aslong span openings in houses. However, using CLT to build skyscrapersand other megastructures remain elusive in the industry.

Several methods of construction are common. The first is known asplatform construction or endoskeleton construction. Platformconstruction is the primary method utilized in the United States. Inessence, floor joists rest on a sill plate or on top of a stud wall. Thenext level of wall framing will then sit on top of the fully sheathedfloor joists.

Although platform construction can be utilized for smaller structures,building taller buildings out of platform construction is not ideal.Specifically, with platform construction, each additional level rests ontop of the level below, meaning the weight of the higher floors is bearby the lower floors.

Unlike vertical posts and pillars, floor and ceiling panels generallyconsist of side-grain wood, which only has a crushing strength of around500 pounds per square inch (psi). On the other hand, vertical pillarsconsist mostly of end-grain wood, which has a crushing strength of about5,000 to 7,000 psi for most spices of wood.

Another issue with platform construction is the likelihood ofcompression. Mismatching floor and ceiling panels that consist mostly ofside-grain wood with pillars consist mostly of end-grain wood permits awider latitude of compression, which can be damaging for a structure.

In contrast, a second method is known as balloon construction orexoskeleton construction. Although once prevalent in the United States,this construction method is now more popular in Europe. Unlike aplatform construction, the wall stud rests on the sill plate with a rimjoist in the interior side and then the floor joist. The stud wall iscontinuous from the sill plate to the top plate. At the second level thefloor connection, joists rest on a ledger and are then face nailed tothe studs. Thus, there is a need to create a continuous column or studtall enough for the construction of a superstructure.

An issue with building a skyscraper out of wood is the need of largesupport columns that are also made of wood. Creating a column that canwithstand the weight of a tall building is engineeringly challenging.Thus, there is a need for a column, made of wood, that can be used inconstructing larger wooden buildings.

Likewise, joining wood construction components remain a constantchallenge in the industry. Traditionally, metal fasteners such asscrews, nails, or rods have been used to join together adjoining woodencomponents. However, the materialistic property of metal isfundamentally different from that of wood. The problem is furtheramplified when attempting to join together large pieces of constructioncomponents, such as walls, roofs, beams, and columns. Thus, there is aneed in for a mechanism to join wooden construction materials using awooden fastener.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a bundled tube according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates another perspective view of the bundled tubeaccording to the exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the bundled tube according to theexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the bundled tube according to theexemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate perspective views of a threaded stepped dowelaccording to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6A illustrates a side view of the threaded stepped dowel accordingto the exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6B illustrates a side view of a threaded stepped dowel according toanother exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross sectional view of a first component to beaffixed onto a second component using a threaded stepped dowel accordingto an exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate side views of alternative designs of athreaded stepped dowel according to another exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates a cross sectional view of a pillar according toanother embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a cross sectional view of attaching two componentswith a threaded stepped dowel according to an embodiment.

Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention indetail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of the particular arrangement shown, sincethe invention is capable of other embodiments. Exemplary embodiments areillustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended thatthe embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be consideredillustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein isfor the purpose of description and not of limitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many differentforms, there are shown in the drawings and will be described in detailherein specific embodiments with the understanding that the presentdisclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the invention. Itis not intended to limit the invention to the specific illustratedembodiments. The features of the invention disclosed herein in thedescription, drawings, and claims can be significant, both individuallyand in any desired combinations, for the operation of the invention inits various embodiments. Features from one embodiment can be used inother embodiments of the invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1-9 , the embodiments of this disclosure include athreaded stepped dowel, and a column formed from a bundled tube.

In order to construct taller buildings and larger structures usingengineered wood such as CLT, especially in circumstances where balloonconstruction is preferred, a new way to form a larger column or stud isnecessary. This is due in part to the difficulty of transporting onemassive pre-constructed column from a prefabrication plant, but also thedifficulty of creating a column large enough to support a superstructureoff-site.

FIG. 1 shows a novel way to construct a column using bundled tube.Instead of having one massive column made from wood, the column 100 iscreated by combining a plurality of smaller pillars of different lengthstogether to form the larger column 100. Depending on the need of thespecific building, the column 100 can range from several feet tall tohundreds of feet tall. That is to say, using the principle disclosedherein, the length of the column 100 can vary to suit its purpose. Acolumn 100 can include a base portion 200, a middle portion 300, and atop portion 400.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , the base portion 200 of the column 100 isformed by at least nine individual pillars in a three by three layout. Asill plate or a base 202 is provided at the bottom most portion of abuilding. From there, nine pillars are utilized to build the baseportion 200.

First, a center pillar 210 is affixed onto the base 202 in the center ofa three-by-three grid. I.e., position 5 as shown in FIG. 3 . The centerpillar 210 is an elongated pillar with a top surface and a bottomsurface. In an embodiment, the center pillar 210 can be made out ofengineered wood such as CLT. In another embodiment, the center pillar210 can be made out of natural timber.

A first bore is provided at a center portion of the bottom surface ofthe center pillar 210, and a second bore is provided at a center portionof the top surface of the center pillar 210. The first bore and thesecond bore are used to receive fasteners so that the center pillar 210can be affixed on top of the base 202, and that another center pillarcan be affixed on top of the center pillar 210.

In an embodiment, the first bore and the second bore can be separate anddistinct, i.e., they do not bore through the entire center pillar 210.In another embodiment, the first bore and the second bore can connect,thus forming one continuous bore through the center pillar 210. Theinternal shapes of the first bore and the second bore varies dependingon the type of fastener being used. That is to say, the first bore andthe second bore need be the same shape.

The center pillar 210 can be affixed to the base 202 through a varietyof means. In an embodiment, the center pillar 210 is affixed to the base202 through a stepped dowel such as the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,871,681, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. Inanother embodiment, the center pillar 210 can be twisted onto the base202 by using a threaded stepped dowel that will be described in moredetailed later. Other fasteners can also be used, such as metal studs orrods known in the art.

The fastener is affixed onto the base 202 through any appropriate mean.Thereafter, the fastener, which is protruding out of the base 202, isreceived in the first bore of the center pillar 210, which is located atthe bottom surface of the center pillar 210.

In an embodiment, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the center pillar 210, whenviewed from top down, is octagonal in shape to provide space for cornerpillars 220, 230, 240, 250, to be twisted into place. In anotherembodiment, the center pillar 210 can be cylindrical. In yet anotherembodiment where the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250, need not betwisted into place, such as in cases where the corner pillars 220, 230,240, 250, are dropped in place instead, the center pillar 210 can berectangular in shape. Other shapes can also be possible depending on thespecific circumstances.

Once the center pillar 210 is affixed onto the base 202, the cornerpillars 220, 230, 240, 250 are then affixed onto the base 202. Similarto the center pillar 210, the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 areelongated pillars with respective top surfaces and bottom surfaces. Thecorner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250, are generally rectangular in shapewhen viewed top down. In an embodiment, the corner pillars 220, 230,240, 250 are shorter than the center pillar 210 as shown in FIG. 2 . Inanother embodiment, the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 can be longerthan the center pillar 210. In yet another embodiment, the cornerpillars 220, 230, 240, 250 can be the same length as the center pillar210. It is preferred that the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 have thesame length as one another, but each individual corner pillar can havedifferent lengths if necessary.

Similar to the center pillar 210, each of the corner pillars 220, 230,240, 250 has a first bore on its respective bottom surface, and a secondbore on its respective top surface, each extending inward from theirrespective surfaces. These bores are used to affix the corner pillars220, 230, 240, 250 to the base 202 from the bottom, and to affixadditional corner pillars on top of the corner pillars 220, 230, 240,250.

In an embodiment, threaded stepped dowels can be used to affix thecorner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 to the base 202 to, referring to FIG.3 , positions 7, 9, 3, and 1 respectively. When threaded stepped dowelsare used, the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 can be twisted onto thebase 202 during installation, thus affixing the corner pillars 220, 230,240, 250 onto the base 202. To accommodate for the twisting motionduring installation, it is preferred that the center pillar 210 isoctagonal as described above, although the center pillar 210 can also becylindrical or other appropriate shapes.

In another embodiment, the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 can bedropped onto fasteners protruding out of the base 202 instead of beingtwisted onto the base 202. In this embodiment, un-threaded steppeddowels can be used, as well as other types of conventional fastenersknown in the art.

Once the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 are affixed onto the base 202in addition to the center pillar 210, middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290are then affixed onto the base 202. As with other pillars, the middlepillars 260, 270, 280, 290 are elongated pillars each having a topsurface and a bottom surface. The middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 aregenerally rectangular in shape, although other shapes can be possible.

Again, each of the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 has a first bore onits respective bottom surface, and a second bore on its respective topsurface, each extending inward from their respective surfaces. Thesebores are used to affix the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 to thebase 202 from the bottom, and to affix additional middle pillars on topof the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290.

In an embodiment, the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 are shorter thanthe center pillar 210 and also short than the corner pillars 220, 230,240, 250 as shown in FIG. 2 . In another embodiment, the middle pillars260, 270, 280, 290 can be longer than the center pillar 210 or thecorner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 or both. In yet another embodiment,the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 can be the same length as thecenter pillar 210 or the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 or both. Itis preferred that the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 have the samelength as one another, but each individual middle pillar can havedifferent lengths if necessary.

During installation, the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 are droppedonto fasteners protruding out of the base 202 at, referring to FIG. 3 ,positions 8, 6, 2, and 4 respectively. According to an embodiment, thecenter pillar 210 can be affixed onto the base 210 first, follow by thecorner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250, follow by the middle pillars 260,270, 280, 290. Thus completing the construction of the bottom portion200. Because the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 are installed last,they act to lock the remaining pillars in place. That is to say, oncethe middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 are successfully installed, allnine pillars are fixed in place and can no longer be removed.

In an embodiment, a first length of the center pillar 210 is differentfrom a second length of the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250, which isalso different from a third length the middle pillars 260, 270, 280,290. Thus, when viewed from the side, as shown in FIG. 2 , the pillarsare staggered in different heights. The bundled tube configurationallows the resulting column 100 to have a higher structural integrity.In another embodiment, the lengths of all three types of pillars can bethe same. In yet another embodiment, the length of two of the types ofpillars can be the same, but different from the third type of pillar.For example, the center pillar 210 can be the same length as the cornerpillars 220, 230, 240, 250, but a different length as to the middlepillars 260, 270, 280, and 290.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 , once the bottom portion 200 is constructed,addition pillars can be affixed on top of the pillars of the bottomportion 200, forming the middle portion 300 of the column 100.

The installation of the middle portion 300 is similar to the bottomportion 200. That is, a center pillar of the middle portion 300 isaffixed onto the center pillar 210 of the bottom portion 200 first.Follow by corner pillars of the middle portion 300 onto the cornerpillars 220, 230, 240, 250 of the bottom portion 200 respectively.Lastly, middle pillars of the middle portion 300 are then dropped ontothe middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 of the bottom portion 200respectively.

Unlike the pillars of the bottom portion 200 however, in an embodiment,all the pillars of the middle portion 300 can have a same length. Thus,reducing manufacturing complexity and cost. However, the pillars of themiddle portion 300 can have varying lengths when appropriate.

In an embodiment, the corner pillars of the middle portion 300 aretwisted onto the corner pillars 220, 230, 240, 250 of the bottom portion200 through the use of threaded stepped dowels that will be described inmore detail later. The center pillar of the middle portion 300 can betwisted onto the center pillar of the bottom portion 200 through the useof a threaded stepped dowel, or it can be dropped onto a conventiondowel or fastener protruding out of the center pillar 210 of the bottomportion 200. Likewise, the middle pillars of the middle portion 300 aredropped onto dowels or fastener protruding out of the middle pillars260, 270, 280, 290 of the bottom portion 200.

To facilitate the embodiments where additional corner pillars aretwisted onto corner pillars below, the corresponding center pillar canbe octagonal in shape. Alternatively, the corresponding center pillarcan be cylindrical. However, in the embodiments where additional cornerpillars are dropped onto corner pillars below, the corresponding centerpillar can be rectangular in shape, as no extra room is needed to allowfor the twisting motion.

Because the pillars of the bottom portion 200 are staggered in heights,by placing addition pillars of the same length on top of the pillars ofthe bottom portion 200 would also result in staggered heights in themiddle portion 300 as shown in FIG. 4 . Again, the staggeredconfiguration provides the resulting column 100 with better structuralintegrity, although non-staggered configuration can also be used to savecost of manufacturing.

Although FIGS. 1 and 4 show only one additional pillar on top of each ofthe pillars of the bottom portion 200, additional pillars can be stackedon top to form an even longer middle portion 300. That is to say, middleportion 300 can be as tall as necessary by affixing additional centerpillars, corner pillars, and middle pillars on top of the pillars below.This is especially useful in a balloon construction where a columnextends continuously from a sill plate to a top plate.

Once the middle portion 300 is at a desired height, the top portion 400can then cap off the middle portion 300, thus completing theconstruction of the column 100. The top portion 400 can cap off themiddle portion 300 in a variety of ways. For example, the top portion400 can simply be a reverse of the bottom portion 200 comprising acenter pillar, a plurality of corner pillars, and a plurality of middlepillars, where each pillar is affixed to the respective pillar of themiddle portion 300 below.

Using FIG. 2 as an example, using corner pillars 220, 230, 240, and 250of the bottom portion 200 as reference points, if the center pillar 210of the bottom portion 200 is longer than the corner pillars of thebottom portion 200, then the center pillar of the top portion 400 can bethe shorter than corner pillars of the top portion 400 to compensate forthe length of the center pillar of the bottom portion. Likewise, if themiddle pillars of the bottom portion are shorter than the corner pillarsof the bottom portion, then the middle pillars of the top portion 400can be longer to compensate for the length difference, so that theconstructed column has a flat top surface that can be affixed to otherstructural elements. However, it is to be understood that the topsurface of a column needs not be flat and column lengths of the topportion 400 can vary depending on the specific construction need.

Once each portion of the column 100 is construction, each individualpillar can further be reinforced from the sides through lateralfasteners such as additional dowels, nails, screws, or the like. Lateralreinforcement can also be metal rods or collars around the circumferenceof the column 100.

In an embodiment, individual pillars can further be fastened to oneanother through a side fastener. For example, referring to FIG. 3 , thecorner pillar 220 can be fastened to the middle pillar 260 laterallythrough a dowel, a stepped dowel, a threaded stepped dowel, or otherfasteners such as nails, toenails, screws, or the like. In thisembodiment, the corner pillar 220 can be fastened to the middle pillar260, the corner pillar 230 can be fastened to the middle pillar 270, thecorner pillar 240 can be fastened to the middle pillar 280, and thecorner pillar 250 can be fastened to the middle pillar 290. In addition,the middle pillars 260, 270, 280, 290 can also be laterally fastened tothe center pillar 210 through appropriate means such as dowels. Whendowels are used to fasten adjoining pillars together laterally, eachpillar can be predrilled for the dowels to permit for easy installationon-site.

Next, a threaded stepped dowel is described in more details herein.Referring to FIGS. 5A-6B, a threaded stepped dowel 500 according to anembodiment can be made of multiple sections, a base section 510 havingthe largest circumference or perimeter and each successive middlesections 520, 530, 540 having a smaller circumference or perimeter thanthe preceding section follow by a tip section 550. When viewed inprofile, such a dowel has a shape that is stepped or terraced, where thebase section 510 is wider or larger than its opposed tip section 550.

Although the figures illustrate three middle sections, the threadedstepped dowel 500 can comprise less or more middle sections. That is tosay, the amount of middle section can range from one to as many asnecessary. The threaded stepped dowel 500 can be made out of timber orengineered wood. Preferably, the threaded stepped dowel 500 is made outof the same material as the individual pillars of the bundled tube. Thethreaded stepped dowel 500 as described herein is suitable to be used tofasten components made of timber or engineered wood such as CLT orglulam. Certainly, the threaded stepped dowel 500 can also be used tofasten components not made of wood. In an embodiment, the threadedstepped dowel 500 can be one-way threaded. In yet another embodiment,the threaded stepped dowel 500 can be two-way threaded.

According to an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6A, the sections 510, 520,530, 540, 550 are generally cylindrical in shape with decreasingcircumferences from one section to another. Each of the middle sections520, 530, 540 further comprises grooves or threads 522, 532, 542 alongthe surface of these sections. The threads 522, 532, 542 spiral aroundeach of their respective sections, forming a continuous thread in eachsection.

According to another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6B, the middlesections 520, 530, 540 together with threads 522, 532, 542 form agenerally sinusoidal profile. That is to say, when viewed from the side,each groove or thread curves inward toward a center axis of the threadedstepped dowels 500A, whereas the sections between each thread curvesoutward away from the center axis of the threaded stepped dowels 500A.The difference between the designs in FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B being that theadditional curvatures as shown in the embodiment in FIG. 6B allows moreexposures of end-grain wood, thus allowing the threaded stepped dowel500A to absorb more moisture, whereas the flat profile of the threadedstepped dowel 500 as shown in FIG. 6A exposes more side-grain wood thatabsorbs less moisture. Nonetheless, both designs are suitable for usefor the purpose of constructing the bundled tube as previouslydiscussed.

In an embodiment, the threads 522, 532, 542 form a single-startthreadform with respect to the corresponding middle sections 520, 530,540. Single-start refers to the configuration that each time thecorresponding middle section is rotated by 360°, the middle sectionadvanced axially by one ridge. However, when the threaded stepped dowel500 comprises multiple middle sections, with each middle section havingits own thread, the threaded stepped dowel 500 as a whole can bemulti-start. For example, when the threaded stepped dowel 500 comprisesthree middle sections 520, 530, 540, and each middle section having acorresponding thread 522, 532, 542, although each middle section 520,530, 540 is a single-start, the threaded stepped dowel 500 as a whole isa triple-start. That is to say, when the threaded stepped dowel 500 isrotated by one full rotation (360° degree), the threaded stepped dowel500 advances by three ridges (one for each middle section). As it is tobe appreciated, the stepped design of the threaded stepped dowel 500increases the combined thread strength per rotation, i.e., being engagedto multiple additional ridges per rotation, instead of being engaged toone additional ridge per rotation.

Referring to FIG. 7 , unlike a traditional dowel, the threaded steppeddowel 500 enables a first component 600 to be twisted onto a secondcomponent 700, creating a more secured connection between the twocomponents. Unlike a traditional dowel where the two components can bepulled apart through opposing forces, components fastened by thethreaded stepped dowel 500 can only be disengaged by a reverse twistingmotion, making the fastened components more difficult to disengage fromone another.

In practice, the base section 510 of the threaded stepped dowel 500 isaffixed onto the second component 700. For example, the second component700 can comprise a bore 710 on its top surface that corresponds to thesize of the base section 510 so that the base section 510 can beinserted into or onto the second component 700. Glue or other adhesivescan also be applied to further secure the base section 510 within thebore 710 of the second component 700.

On the flip side, the first component 600 can comprise a bore 610 at itsbottom surface that mirrors the shape of the threaded stepped dowel 500.That is to say, the bore 610 defines a cavity having generally the sameshape as the profile of the threaded stepped dowel 500, allowing thefirst component 600 to be able to twist onto the threaded stepped dowel500.

As illustrated in FIG. 7 , the first component 600 can be one of thepillars of the column 100 as described before, and the second component700 can be the base 202 as previously described. However, the samemechanism can also be used to connect one pillar with another. Forexample, the first component 600 can further comprise a bore 620 on itstop surface that can be used to engage with another threaded steppeddowel, which then engages with another pillar on top.

Referring to FIG. 8A, an alternative design of the threaded steppeddowel 500 as discussed prior can be a double-sided threaded steppeddowel 800. Mechanically, this alternative design is largely similar tothe threaded stepped dowel 500.

In this embodiment, a base section 810 is located toward the center ofthe double-sided threaded stepped dowel 800 with middle sectionsextending outward therefrom. Similar to the threaded stepped dowel 500,each successive section of the double-sided threaded stepped dowel 800decreases in circumference with the tip sections 880, 890 having thesmallest circumferences of all the sections. Likewise, each middlesections 820, 830, 840, 850, 860, 870 is provided with thread or groovethat spirals around the outer surface of each section. Similar to athreaded stepped dowel 500, the double-sided threaded stepped dowel 800can have any number of middle sections. Moreover, the number of themiddle sections on one side of the double-sided threaded stepped dowel800 need not be the same as the number of the middle sections on theother side. In yet another embodiment, the base section 810 can beomitted altogether, as shown in FIG. 8B.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of one of the pillars to be used for thebundled tube in forming column 100. In this embodiment, a pillar 900 cancontain bores 910, 920 on the top and bottom surfaces of the pillar 900.The bores 910, 920 each defining a cavity to each accept a threadedstepped dowel. The pillar 900 can be used as one of the corner pillarsas discussed previously especially in the middle portion 300 of thecolumn 100. Alternatively, the pillar 900 can be octagonal orcylindrical in shape, which then can be used as one of the centerpillars.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of how a threaded stepped dowel can beused when platform construction is desired. A base section of a threadedstepped dowel 1010 can be installed onto a first component 1020. Thefirst component 1020 can be various panels typically found inconstruction of a building, such as a floor panel, a ceiling panel, or awall panel. In an embodiment, only the base section of the threadedstepped dowel 1010 is contained within the first component 1020. Inanother embodiment, the base section, together with one or more middlesections of the threaded stepped dowel 1010 can be contained within thefirst component 1020. For example, in FIG. 10 , the base section,together with one middle section is contained within the first component1020. Thus, it is understood that so long as enough middle section(s) ofthe threaded step dowel 1010 remain available to mate with a secondcomponent, the exact configuration can be adjusted as necessary.

As before, a second component 1030 can be affixed onto the firstcomponent 1020 by twisting the second component 1030 onto the threadedstepped dowel 1010. Specifically, the second component 1030 can comprisea corresponding bore 1040 that mates with the threaded stepped dowel1010. The second component 1030 can be a column, a beam, a pillar, or apost. It is to be appreciated that the threaded stepped dowel 1010 canalso be installed on the second component 1030 instead of or in additionto the first component 1020. By way of example, a threaded stepped dowelcan be installed on a beam or column, and a panel can be affixed ontothe beam therefrom.

Certainly, in a platform construction, more than one pillars can beaffixed onto a panel. In a typical construction, about 25 pillars can beused per floor. These 25 pillars can all be affixed to the floor panelusing threaded stepped dowels. Illustratively, assuming a threadedstepped dowel is 4.5 inches in diameter. Said threaded stepped dowelwould be able to withstand a crushing weight of about 80,000 pounds(2.252*π*5,000≈80,000). Thus, when 25 of these threaded stepped dowelsare used, the crushing weight that these threaded stepped dowels canwithstand is about 2 million pounds, well enough for a typical building.

Specific embodiments of a column formed by bundled tube and a threadedstepped dowel according to the present invention have been described forthe purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention can bemade and used. It should be understood that the implementation of othervariations and modifications of this invention and its different aspectswill be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that this invention isnot limited by the specific embodiments described. Features described inone embodiment can be implemented in other embodiments. The subjectdisclosure is understood to encompass the present invention and any andall modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within thespirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed andclaimed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wooden threaded stepped dowel comprising: abase section having a first circumference; a middle section having asecond circumference smaller than the first circumference; and a tipsection having a third circumference smaller than the secondcircumference, wherein the middle section is generally cylindrical inshape having a first end and a second end opposite from the first end,wherein the middle section includes a first side extendinglongitudinally along the middle section from the first end to the secondend and a second side opposite from the first side, wherein the firstside and the second side each comprising alternating flat portions andround portions immediately following one another, and wherein the flatportions of the first side are generally parallel to the flat portionsof the second side, wherein the round portions form a helical threadthat extends from the first end of the middle section to the second endof the middle section forming a single helix, and wherein the tipsection is a cylinder that includes a smooth outer surface and a flatterminal end.
 2. The wooden threaded stepped dowel of claim 1, whereinthe middle section further comprises a plurality of sections, with eachsuccessive section having a smaller circumference than the last; andeach of the plurality of sections is generally cylindrical in shape witha threaded outer surface that includes a thread.
 3. The wooden threadedstepped dowel of claim 2, wherein the thread of each of the plurality ofsections together form a multi-start thread.
 4. The wooden threadedstepped dowel of claim 1, wherein the middle section comprisessubstantially parallel sides when viewed from a side of the middlesection except for portions of the middle section that include thethread.
 5. The wooden threaded stepped dowel of claim 1, wherein thethread of the middle section is single-start thread.
 6. The woodenthreaded stepped dowel of claim 1, wherein once the wooden threadedstepped dowel is engaged to an external component, the wooden threadedstepped dowel can only be disengaged from the external component througha twisting motion.
 7. The wooden threaded stepped dowel of claim 1,wherein the base section is a cylinder that includes a smooth outersurface.
 8. The wooden threaded stepped dowel of claim 1, wherein theround portions are formed as recesses in the middle section curvedinwardly toward a central axis of the middle section, and wherein theflat portions form an outer surface of the middle section.
 9. A threadedstepped dowel comprising: a first middle section having a firstcircumference; a second middle section having a second circumference; afirst tip section adjoining the first middle section, the first tipsection having a circumference smaller than the first circumference; anda second tip section adjoining the second middle section, the second tipsection having a circumference smaller than the second circumference,wherein the first middle section and the second middle section are eachgenerally cylindrical in shape and each having a first end and a secondend opposite from the first end, wherein each of the middle sectionsincludes a first side extending longitudinally along the respectivemiddle section from the first end to the second end and a second sideopposite from the first side, wherein each of the first sides and eachof the second sides comprising alternating flat portions and roundportions immediately following one another, and wherein the flatportions of the first sides are generally parallel to the flat portionsof the second sides, wherein the round portions form a helical thread oneach of the first middle section and the second middle sectionrespectively that extends from the first end to the second end of therespective middle section, forming a single helix, wherein the threadedstep dowel is a unitary component formed of a wooden material, andwherein the first tip section and the second tip section are each acylinder that includes a smooth outer surface and a flat terminal end.10. The threaded stepped dowel of claim 9, wherein the firstcircumference is the same as the second circumference.
 11. The threadedstepped dowel of claim 9, wherein the first middle section adjoins thesecond middle section to form one continuous middle section.
 12. Thethreaded stepped dowel of claim 9 further comprising: a base sectionhaving a third circumference larger than the first circumference and thesecond circumference, wherein a first end of the base section adjoinsthe first middle section, and a second end of the base section adjoinsthe second middle section.
 13. The threaded stepped dowel of claim 12,wherein the base section is a cylinder that includes a smooth continuousouter surface extending from the first end of the base section to thesecond end of the base section.
 14. The threaded stepped dowel of claim9, wherein the first middle section further comprises a first pluralityof sections, with each successive section having a smaller circumferencethan the last; and each of the first plurality of sections is generallycylindrical in shape with a threaded outer surface that includes athread.
 15. The threaded stepped dowel of claim 14, wherein the secondmiddle section further comprises a second plurality of sections, witheach successive section having a smaller circumference than the last;and each of the second plurality of sections is generally cylindrical inshape with a threaded outer surface that includes a thread.
 16. Thethreaded stepped dowel of claim 14, wherein the thread of each of thefirst plurality of sections together form a multi-start thread.
 17. Thethreaded stepped dowel of claim 9, wherein at least one of the helicalthreads first thread is a single-start thread.
 18. The threaded steppeddowel of claim 9, wherein once the threaded stepped dowel is engaged toan external component, the threaded stepped dowel can only be disengagedfrom the external component through a twisting motion.
 19. The threadedstepped dowel of claim 9, wherein the round portions are formed asrecesses in the respective middle sections curved inwardly toward acentral axis of the respective middle sections, and wherein the flatportions form an outer surface of the respective middle sections.